1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the mounting and support of hard disk drives for computers and, in a preferred embodiment thereof, more particularly relates to apparatus for removably supporting a plurality of hot plug-connected hard disk drives.
2. Description of Related Art
Hard disk drives for a file server or other type of computer are often mounted, in a vertically or horizontally stacked array, in a rectangular sheet metal "cage" structure which may be disposed within the computer housing or externally thereto. For operational convenience and flexibility, each disk drive is typically "shot plug" connected within the cage. This type of electrical connection permits any of the supported disk drives to be removed and reinstalled within the cage without disturbing the operation of the other disk drives.
To effect this desirable hot plug connection of each of the disk drives, each disk drive is typically supported on a carrier structure which is slidably and removably insertable into the cage to mate an electrical connector carried on a rear portion of the drive or its carrier structure with a corresponding electrical connector on a back plane circuit board suitably supported at the rear interior side of the cage. Under conventional practice, when the drive is installed on its associated carrier structure it is typically the case that various loose parts, such as mounting screws, cables, shields and the like, have to be assembled as an adjunct to operatively mounting the disk drive on its associated carrier assembly. This conventional necessity of dealing with a variety of loose parts to mount the disk drive on its carrier structure, and later remove the disk drive from the carrier, tends to make these necessary drive mounting and removal tasks relatively complex and tedious, while at the same time putting the computer owner or service technician at risk of losing, damaging or improperly assembling the various loose parts of the carrier structure.
In view of the foregoing it can be seen that a need exists for a hot-pluggable disk drive carrier structure which eliminates or at least substantially reduces the above-mentioned problems, limitations and disadvantages typically associated with conventional carrier structures of the general type described above. It is to this need that the present invention is directed.